Powder Blue

The comparisons to Crash (a great film) are inevitable. Powder Blue has a stellar cast in a story that is really a collection of stories that sometimes interconnect.

Forest Whitaker, Jessica Biel, Ray Liotta, Lisa Kudrow, Patrick Swayze et al. populate the dark world of Powder Blue. From the first scenes, we realize that this world is filled with crime, violence and poverty. This world becomes a "character" in the sense that it has as much (or more) to do with the motivations and actions of the characters as other characters do.

The first character introduced is a man, played by Forest Whitaker, who is living on the edge of desperation and hope. As the stories develop, we find that most of the characters are similarly dealing with issues of mortality and day-to-day negotiations with an uncaring world. Everyone is hurting.

Most viewers can probably identify with the sense of desperation that pervades the movie, either because they have experienced it or because they were in situations that could have taken them down a dark path. Thus, the film has an inherent honesty. Some viewers may not want to visit the demons that this film will resuscitate. But there are positive moments and acts of kindness in Powder Blue. For some viewers these moments may "redeem" the movie.

Overall, the acting is excellent. Although I thought Jessica Biel embodied her role as a mother who strips for a living, I felt that a few of her scenes were less convincing.

I rented this movie although many people crucified this movie as being a Crash sequel or just a blurred copy of The Air I Breathe.. Being a great fan of the existential dramas, where destinies cross each other only to emphasize the true value of life and most important the heart mending result of doing something right, (even it is too late) i decided to watch this movie in hope of seeing something equally thrilling to Crash. In fact, Powder Blue has some similarities to Crash or The Air I Breathe, but director Tim Bui manages to underline the most important idea of human destiny: the miracle. Here we see the miracle of destiny that incorporates the miracle of love (Rose and Qwerty), the miracle of divine intervention and hope (Charlie and the trans gender prostitute) and the miracle of sacrifice. (Jack for his daughter Rose)

In conclusion this movie is not to be compared to Crash, even it is based on the same destinies-cross-each other-structure. And of course the soundtrack which is surprisingly good, with featured artists like Bliss or Imogen Heap.

I recommend this movie 8,5/10

"Powder Blue" wasn't one of those big cinema releases, yet it was a film with a gripping powerful story of the intersecting of complex paths in the city of L.A.. And the all star cast made the film watchable. Set in modern day L.A. on the tough and rumble streets the films main focus is on four characters and it involves the showing of their everyday hardships and problems only all will collide by luck, destiny, and happens chance. Jessica Biel who's always beautiful and such a pleasure to view really shines as a young desperate single mom with a dying kid who's only hope is to earn money to support her cocaine habit by doing nude dancing as a stripper. Enter Ray Liotta as an ex con just released yet he has terminal cancer only he will discover thru Biel's character that life finally does have some touching emotional moments. And Forrest Whitaker is a character you feel desperate for as he is a man with no will to live after losing his wife as he will go to any lengths to be killed. And to round out you have a young mortician played by Eddie Redmayne who's lonely only in the end destiny will have it he will find love with the Biel character. This film is pretty powerful for it's message it sends that no matter how desperate life is for some unexpected hope can be found and everyone has a destiny. Plus no matter how different and complex people are they are all the same as their paths were meant to cross to help one another as in the end that leads to a heavenly and peaceful ending. Overall great film with an all star cast that proves life is a harsh struggle yet with help and connecting their is hope.

My rating: 7.6

It was better than expected. It definitely reminded me of "Crash" and especially "The air I breathe" with multiple story's, drama and the city atmosphere, it has a similar feel to it.

Despite a few REALLY cheesy scenes in the end, it really was entertaining all the way trough. The acting was good, most noticeable by the mesmerizing Jessica Biel and the always strong actor Forrest Whittaker.

Biel has a few nudes scenes in the movie which was done very tasteful and very sexy ! and if you didn't think much of her before, you most like will be in love after watching her dance :-). Too bad this is probably the only thing this movie will be known for, as it lacks serious promotion and probably will go straight to DVD.

Hope it will do good, just spread the word I guess.

It should find it's indie audience I'm sure.

It's the Christmas season in L.A. Rose Johnny (Jessica Biel) is a drug-addicted stripper at Velvet Larry (Patrick Swayze)'s sleazy strip club with a coma kid in the hospital. Her dog escapes from her motel room and gets run over by shy mortician Qwerty Doolittle (Eddie Redmayne). Jack Doheny (Ray Liotta) is just released after 25 years in prison. His former boss Randall (Kris Kristofferson) gives him a suitcase full of money and directions to Rose Johnny. Charlie (Forest Whitaker) is a suicidally depressed ex-priest. He picks up transsexual prostitute Lexus (Alejandro Romero) and offers her his life savings of $50k to kill him with his gun. Doolittle is struggling for money and Charlie shows up offering the same deal. Waitress Sally (Lisa Kudrow) tries to show Charlie some kindness.

These characters are all lost. There is an emptiness in these characters and quite frankly in this movie. The actors try their best but filmmaker Timothy Linh Bui can't really pull it all together. The scattered nature of the narrative diffuses any tension. It just fails to maintain my interest in these people. Somewhere in the first half, it needs to reveal the connections and the backstories.